Snowden could go down in history - for wrong reasons

In the media frenzy in the aftermath of the revelation that former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked key documents to newspapers about the government spying on American citizens, many are quick to claim Snowden as a hero - and a traitor.

Some see him as a whistleblower in the fashion of Daniel Ellsberg, who revealed the Pentagon Papers in 1971; WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the Web site which has been the recent source of leaked vital information; and Bradley Manning, the U.S. soldier who leaked the Iraq war and Afghan war logs to Assange's site. Still others see him as a man who breached a pledge to protect confidential information and someone who put his own selfish interests above the nation's security.

So, which side is correct? The truth is we don't truly know just yet. As a USA Today story Tuesday pointed out, the answer to that question likely varies by which you fear most - terrorists, who work to punish America through blood lust, or government snoops, who probe into our lives without warning.

In one sense, Snowden's revelation is an admirable thing. His work has created a public discourse on government intervention, the likes of which hasn't been seen 9/11. It's a revelatory discussion that is taking place in the donut shops, restaurants, cookouts and at the water coolers of our country. The conversation defies political affiliations and generational lines.

But in another light, Snowden's actions are, without doubt, illegal. He agree to the terms of his employment with the National Security Agency, and those terms included confidentiality on documents. Revealing them broke that oath and will now lead to a process that could prove personally taxing without satisfaction.

Ultimately, the government won't let Snowden's actions go without consequence. He says he's ready for what happens next. History has already been made. The question is which legacy will follow Snowden in the future.

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Snowden could go down in history - for wrong reasons

In the media frenzy in the aftermath of the revelation that former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked key documents to newspapers about the government spying on American citizens, many are quick to